Monday, 5 March 2018

Michael Connelly honoured with CWA Diamond Dagger

The Crime Writers’ Association (CWA)
will award the CWA Diamond Dagger, given annually for “sustained excellence”,
to US author Michael Connelly.

The prize recognises crime authors “who
have made a significant contribution to the genre”, with previous recipients
including P D James, John le Carré, Dick Francis, Ruth Rendell, Lee Child and Ann
Cleeves.

Connelly will be presented with the
highest honour in British crime writing at the CWA’s Dagger Awards ceremony in
London on 25th October.

Martin Edwards, chair of the CWA, said:
“Michael Connelly’s crime novels have won international acclaim for more than a
quarter century, and have given readers, television viewers, and film fans rich
entertainment.

“A
combination of wonderful characters, vivid settings, and gripping storylines
characterises his work. The CWA is delighted to celebrate his achievements with
the award of the Diamond Dagger.”

Connelly described the award as “truly exciting”.

The Philadelphia-born writer said: “How can a writer who writes about a guy
trying make sense of things in Los Angeles ever expect to receive recognition
from such a fine group from so far away? It's beyond anything I could have
imagined, and I am very honoured and humbled.”

The former newspaper reporter has
written 31 novels and one work of non-fiction.

His first novel, The Black Echo (Little, Brown), published in 1992, introduced
Hieronymus ‘Harry’ Bosch and won an Edgar for the best first novel. Two of his
books have been adapted for film and in 2016 Connelly produced his own TV
series, Bosch, for Amazon with the
show now in its fourth season.

He embarked on a new
series with Orion last year, as well as publishing a further Harry

Bosch novel.

The CWA Diamond Dagger is selected from
nominations provided by its members. Nominees have to meet two essential
criteria: first, their careers must be marked by sustained excellence, and
second, they must have made a significant contribution to crime writing
published in the English language.